Self-anchoring ceiling and wall tile



SELF-ANCHORING CEILING AND WALL TILE Filed Oct. 15, 1938 lill. if UIMM INVENTOR. 1 lia@ weZZ/fa, BY

ATT'ORNEY.

Patented Oct. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE Louis Del Turco, Newark, N. J.

Application October 15, 1938', Serial No. 235,141

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tiles for facing ceiling and wall surfaces; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel tile structure which is self-anchoring, whereby the same will be permanently affixed to a ceiling or wall in such manner that risk of accidental displacement or falling is reduced to a minimum.

This invention has for an object to provide a novel construction of self-anchoring tile which can easily be produced in the tile factory under standardized manufacturing conditions so as to assure a proper permanently united relation of the parts making up the same, whereby, when put to use on the job, a very efliciently anchored installation thereof is attainable without requiring the exercise of any special skill upon the part of the installing laborers.

The invention has for a further object to provide a novel construction of self-anchoring tile which, while also adaptable for use upon side walls, is especially advantageous for use in facing ceilings, such e. g. as the ceilings of vehicular and other tunnels, underpasses, and other locations wherein risk to traffic from falling tile is particularly desired to be guarded against.

The invention has for another object to provide a novel construction of self-anchoring tile wherein the exposed portion thereof comprises a face body of baked clay tile, glazed if desired, and a back body of hard setting cement which will readily, quickly and tightly bond itself to concrete masses brought into contact therewith7 and wherein projecting anchoring elements are rmly 5;.; incorporated therewith and affixed thereto in such manner that the same will interlockingly imbed themselves in a concrete mass, when the latter is brought into engagement with the tile back.

Other objects of this invention, not at this J time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, in which: .17, Fig. l is a perspective view of a novel tile unit structure made according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the same, taken on line 2 2 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is another sectional view of the same, taken on line 3-3 in Fig. l; and Fig. 4 is a rear face view of the same, with parts broken away to show the elements entering into the make up thereof.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view, similar to that of Fig. 2; but showing a somewhat modified form o-f 5 construction; and Fig. 6 is a similar sectional View showing another modied form of the novel tile structure; Fig. 7 being a fragmentary rear face view of the tile structure shown in Fig. 6, but with parts broken away to show the relation of the parts making up the same.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of a poured concrete ceiling structure showing one method of applying thereto and incorporating therewith a facing of the novel tiles of this invention.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive of the drawing, one form of the novel self-anchoring tile is shown therein, the same comprising a facing body Il) made of baked clay, the outer face surface of which may be glazed and otherwise treated for desired color and surface texture and contour effects by the well known processes utilized in the manufacture of wall tiles. Molded onto the back of the facing body I0 is a backing body II consisting of a hard setting plastic material, such e. g. as a hard setting mortar cement. This backing body II is of substantial thickness, and should be of a thickness approximating that of the tile facing body I0, and preferably somewhat in excess of the thickness of the latter. In order to assure a secure and uniform bond between the facing body I il and the backing body f I I, the rear face of the former is preferably roughened, as e. g. by crossed scoring I2, as indicated in Fig. 4, which scoring is formed thereon while the tile facing body is plastic, and prior to baking of the latter.

Prior to molding said backing body I I onto said facing body I0, one or more anchoring elements are abutted against the rear face of the latter so as to be imbedded in the backing body, when the same is applied, and thus securely united with the resultant nished tile structure in such manner as to provide anchor means exteriorly projecting from the back of said tile structure.

A satisfactory type of anchoring means, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, comprises an elongated loop member I3, the leg portions I4 of which exceed in length the thickness of the backing body II. Said leg portions I4 are provided with inwardly turned foot pieces I5 disposed in spaced parallel relation to the loop band I3. Said loop members are made of metal, being formed out of metallic strips, wires or the like, and, if desired, from a metal of non-corrosive character. One or more of said loop members are disposed in suitable positions with their foot pieces l5 abutting the rear face of the facing body lil, whereupon the backing body l I is molded and pressed onto said facing body, so that, when set and hardened, the foot pieces l5 will be enveloped and held by the surrounding material of the backing body, and so that the leg portions lll will project exteriorly therefrom, to thereby dispose the loop member I3 in rigidly and immovably held outwardly spaced relation to the external face of said backing body.

While the backing body il is somewhat plastic, the external surface thereof is provided with scoring It which willbe permanent therein upon final setting and hardening of the mass thereof. This scoring l5 will, when the novel tile structure is installed in use, aid in assuring a good strong bond between the same and a concrete or like plastic mass brought into contact therewith, while, at the same time, such applied concrete or like mass will iiow under and around the externally projecting loop members i3 so as to interlock the latter in the mass when set, thus providing a very secure union of the tile structure with the latter, which comprises both the bonding union mentioned, as well as the mechanical coupling effect of the embraced and enveloped loop members I3.

The novel tile structure, as above characterized is capable of being installed on both side walls and ceilings of building structures of Various kinds, but is peculiarly adapted for installation as a ceiling or roof facing in vehicular and other tunnel and underpass structures, the ceiling or roof of which is formed by poured concrete, and wherein it is highly desirable to assure such sccure and durable anchorage of the tile structures that loosening and falling of the same is efficiently guarded against and prevented. While various methods of installation may be employed in setting the novel tile structures in facing relation to such ceilings and roofs, a very simple, cheap and rapid method of so doing is possible to be employed by reason of the self-anchoring functioning of the tile structures; the method also being of such character that it is not necessary toemploy especially skilled labor. method, as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawing, oonsists in providing a suitable form 4B which is disposed in suitably spaced and opposed relation to the ceiling or roof framework 4I upon and around which the concrete portions of the ceiling or roof are to be poured. Prior to pouring the concrete, the novel tile structures are assembled upon and supported by the form 4F] in opposition to said ceiling or roof framework, whereupon the concrete lo poured to envelop the framework and at the same time to contact the backing bodies of the tile structures sc as to bond thereto, while also flowing under and around the anchor 4members I3 so as to embrace and interlockingly envelop the latter, thus strongly and immovably coupling the tile facing to the concrete mass when the same sets and hardens.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a somewhat modified form of the novel tile structure, the same comprising-a facing body 2E of baked clay, in the back of which are provided depressed channels or ways 2l having undercut sides. The anchoring elements in this modified form of tile structure comprise a loop member 22 having leg portions 23 which terminate in inverted T-shaped foot pieces 24. The anchoring element is applied to the back of the facing 2t by sliding the foot-pieces 24 into the channels or ways 2|, so that the free extremities of said foot-pieces will This engage or dovetail beneath the undercut sides of said channels, or ways, thus mechanically coupling the anchoring element to the facing body 2D per se. After the anchoring element or elements are thus affixed to the facing body 20, the backing body 25 is molded onto the latter, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as already above described. This modified form of tile structure, by reason of the direct mechanically coupled relation of the anchoring elements to the facing body, provides additional assurance and security against any accidental pulling away from the tile body of said anchoring elements. The mechanical coupling thus provided between the facing body and anchoring element is only one illustrative form of many variations thereof possible to be employed, as will be obviously understood.

In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawing, I have shown anothei1 somewhat modified make up of my novel tile structure. In this case, the structure comprises a facing body 3u, the back of which may be roughened to increase the bond of the applied backing body 3l therewith, by providing a series of spaced raised ribs t2 in extension over the back i of said facing body 3e. In these views I have also shown a modified form of anchoring element, the same comprising hook-like studs 33 having enlarged disk-like foot-pieces 34 to abut the back of the facing body 3S, and to be secured thereto by the imbedding thereof in the applied backing body 3i. The externally projecting end portions of said studs 33 are bent to provide angular anchor elements 35, adapted to be embraced and interlocked in concrete poured over the backs of the tile structures when the same are installed.

It will be understood that the various modifica'- tions above referred to are capable of interchangeable use in any particular make-up of the novel tile structure desired. viens that various changes, other than those above mentioned, could be made in the above described constructions, and that apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could bc made without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the following claims. It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

i. A self-anchoring tile structure comprising, an integral facing body of baked clay and a backing body of hard setting mortar cement molded onto and bonded to the back of said faoing body, said backing body being of a thickness substantially approximating that of said facing body and corresponding in peripheral shape to that of said facing body, anchoring means comprising bar sections supported by legs in outwardly spaced offset relation to the external face of said backing body, said legs penetrating said backing body and having foot portions abutting the back of said body and held rigidly imbedded in backing 2. In a self-anchoring tile structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said facing body has a roughened rear face to which said backing body bonds itself, and wherein said backing body is provided with a roughly scored external face.

3. A self-anchoring tile structure comprising, a facing body of baked clay having seating channels provided with undercut sides formed in the back thereof, anchoring loop means comprising bar sections extending parallel to the plane of It will also be obf said facing body, said bar sections having leg portions provided With foot-pieces dovetailed into said seating channels, and a backing body of hard setting mortar cement molded onto and bonded to the back of said facing body and around the leg portions and foot-pieces of said bar sections, Whereby the latter are rigidly held in freely projected outwardly spaced relation to the external face of said backing body.

4. In a self-anchoring tile structure as deiined in claim 3, wherein said facing body has a roughened rear face to Which said backing body bonds itself, and wherein said backing body is provided with a roughly scored external face.

LOUIS DEL TURCO. 

